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Help CenterWhatsApp & Cortex ChatSet up

Connect a WhatsApp number by scanning a QR code

Create a session, scan the QR code with WhatsApp on your phone, and that number’s chats arrive in Cortex Chat within seconds. Then choose its members and its unit.

5 min
Open in Corteksa

WhatsApp Web may show as a paid Add-on. If you can’t find it in Settings, contact support.

Before you start · 4 things · for owners and managers
Your phone with WhatsApp, a unit for new contacts, teammates to put in charge, a free session slot
  • You need: The Create permission on the WhatsApp Web row of the channels matrix
  • A phone with the number and WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business on it.
  • A Cortex Unit to save new contacts in, such as “Leads”.
  • Teammates in the workspace, to make them the session’s members.
  • A free slot in your plan’s session limit.

Steps

1
Open Settings → WhatsApp Sessions, then press Add Session.
The setup wizard opens straight on the QR code. Its three steps: scan the code, choose the members, choose the unit.
1Scanning QR Code2Selecting Members3Selecting Unit
2
Wait for the code to appear.
Preparing session and generating QR code... shows for a few seconds, then the code.
Scanning QR Code
Waiting for scan...
Scan QR
3
On your phone, open WhatsApp → Linked devices → Link a device, then point the camera at the code.
The wizard shows Connected! and moves on by itself. In the sessions list, the status changes from Scan QR to QR Scanned, then Working.
Scan QRQR ScannedWorking
Phone not with you?

Open the Use phone number tab and link with an 8-character code instead of scanning.

4
Choose the Members: the teammates linked to this number. Pick at least one, then press Continue.
They see this session’s chats. More in Who runs a session.
5
Choose the Unit where a record is created for every new number that messages you, then press Finish Setup.
The session shows as Working, named after the WhatsApp account (or the number). You can rename it any time. More on the unit in Link a session to a unit.
Don’t press Logout to fix a small hiccup

The number disconnects and you’ll have to scan again. Try Restart first.

What happens when you scan

Before it accepts the number, Corteksa checks three things: the number isn’t linked to another session in your workspace, the session wasn’t linked before to a different number, and your plan allows one more session. If any check fails, the number is disconnected straight away, the session goes back to Scan QR, and you get a notification that explains why.

On the first link, Corteksa takes the account name from WhatsApp and shows it in the Name On Device column. The name updates whenever you change it on your phone.

What to do next

Choose the default session, load old chats if you want them, and turn on groups or call rejection if you need them.

If something goes wrong

What you see
Why
What to do
QR Code Expired shows
The code only lasts a short time.
Press Refresh QR Code and scan straight away.
After scanning, the session goes back to Scan QR
The number is linked to another session, it isn’t the session’s original number, or you’ve reached your plan’s limit.
Read the notification you got, then see the one-number-per-session rule and your plan’s WhatsApp session limit.
The code never appears
The server hasn’t prepared the code yet.
Wait a few seconds, then press Generate QR. If it happens again, delete the empty session and create a new one.
Chats arrive without records
The session isn’t linked to a unit.

A real example

Shield Security Co.
The situation

Three salespeople shared one phone for the company number, and messages got lost between them.

What they did
  1. They connected the company number to one session, named “Riyadh Sales”.
  2. They added the three salespeople as its members, and linked the session to the “Clients” unit.
  3. They turned on automatic distribution, so each new client goes to the next salesperson in turn.
The result

Every chat has a clear owner, and the phone stays in the drawer.

A made-up company, to show the idea. The numbers are rounded.

Good to know

One number can’t be linked to two sessions in the same workspace. See the one-number-per-session rule.
When you reach your plan’s session limit, you can’t create a new session, and the scan is refused. See your plan’s WhatsApp session limit.
The code only lasts a short time; after that, refresh it.
WhatsApp allows a limited number of linked devices per number. If they’re all used, remove an old device from your phone.
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Next, you might need
Who runs a session
Step by step · 4 min
Link a session to a unit
Step by step · 4 min
Session states
Look it up · 5 min
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